The good news is that science works. The bad new is we’ll be having less of it in the future.
I work in cancer research PR — and I try not to blog about work lest it offends — but I needed to share this post from PZ Myers: Support cancer research now!
After the NIH budget was doubled from 1998-2004, it has remained stagnant, flat. Not even gaining at the rate of inflation. The resources built by the doubling are now being squandered. The scientists we have trained with that money, especially foreign researchers, are looking elsewhere for work, whether it is other fields or other countries.
In fact, if we had not had the doubling, and just remained on the same appropriations trajectory, we’d be much better off today. This is crippling our ability to make real progress in medical science. Fewer new grants are being funded (although submissions — even approved submissions — are skyrocketing) and fewer risks are being taken. There is no lack of good ideas, just a general lack of money.
Upon blind faith they place reliance,
what we need more of is science!